Expectations

[PSU0622]

I am having a very hard time understanding why people are hating on Franklin and expecting so much more from the program. I am 31 years old and have witnessed two PSU teams that could compete with anyone (94-05). How in your right mind can you say bad about Franklin when the program has not had this type of success outside of the years listed above since the 80's?

Recruiting has never been this good for a sustained period of time. When was the last time there was talk of a PSU player for Heisman let alone for two years in a row? Last time a PSU team played in back to back BCS bowls? No need to keep going. I can understand is PSU has a Bama type track record as of late but they haven't or anywhere close for that matter. Stop living in the 80's and realize the program is in the position to succeed long term.

 

[AWS1022]

I am having a very hard time understanding why people are hating on Franklin and expecting so much more from the program. I am 31 years old and have witnessed two PSU teams that could compete with anyone (94-05). How in your right mind can you say bad about Franklin when the program has not had this type of success outside of the years listed above since the 80's?

Recruiting has never been this good for a sustained period of time. When was the last time there was talk of a PSU player for Heisman let alone for two years in a row? Last time a PSU team played in back to back BCS bowls? No need to keep going. I can understand is PSU has a Bama type track record as of late but they haven't or anywhere close for that matter. Stop living in the 80's and realize the program is in the position to succeed long term.

Even in the 80’s it wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns.
1983: 8-4-1
1984: 6-5
1987: 8-4
1988: 5-6
1989: 8-3-1

 

[PSU0622]

Even in the 80’s it wasn’t all rainbows and unicorns.
1983: 8-4-1
1984: 6-5
1987: 8-4
1988: 5-6
1989: 8-3-1

Wow. I did not even bother looking up those records. Imagine what this fan base would be saying during those years?

 

[danvillenit]

The average year under Paterno was like 9-3. Some fans seem to remember that we were 11-1 every year

 

[CDLionFL]

Should I also not expect for a team to hold leads at home in the final 8 (or less) minutes of a game?

 

[Eurotrash1]

Simple the talent level on this team is much better than the results. I’m not ready to give up on Franklin. However, we should be in the top 10 with the talent level we have. Hell, we have the identical record as MSU. We lost to them head to head. We are still ranked way ahead them! Why? Because our talent level is much better than theirs!!!

 

[danvillenit]

Disagree the talent level is much better than the results. We likely have zero first round draft picks starting. OSU probably has several. That’s the real gauge of talent. We should have beaten MSU but would bet we end up with a better record

 

[fastlax16]

Expectations have nothing to do with not being satisfied with blowing 4th quarter leads in winnable games.

 

[Nitwit97]

You had enough talent to have a 12 point lead with 8 minutes left and a lead with two minutes left (and the ball), and managed to lose both games. Anyone would expect a win out of those two games.

This isn’t a comparison to teams from other decades, this is frustration in the fact that the last four losses were there to be won and this team and staff came up short and found ways to lose each one.

If you get your doors blown off, you can say you were not there better team, but the last two years, they led in the fourth quarter of the games and could not close the deal.

All of these posts that say expectations were too high are misguided or do not understand the situation. I don’t think anyone posting their anger would not agree that Franklin has righted the ship and is doing a great job of bringing in bettter talent. But this isn’t fantasy sports, you still have to get it done on the field. This team has put itself in position to be “elite”, and has managed to s the bed four times.

 

[Eurotrash1]

Disagree the talent level is much better than the results. We likely have zero first round draft picks starting. OSU probably has several. That’s the real gauge of talent. We should have beaten MSU but would bet we end up with a better record

I don’t disagree with your thoughts on OSU. I completely disagree about no first rounders. I think we have quite a few underclassman who will become first round talent. However, you don’t lose to a team like MSU at home with this much talent. Like I said, I’m not giving up on this staff. However, pretending their shouldn’t be concerns is ridiculous.

 

[Obliviax]

Expectations have nothing to do with not being satisfied with blowing 4th quarter leads in winnable games.

yeah, but it has to do with the plan on what to do after that loss.

IMHO, we lost because of youth. We have way to many Fr, RS Fr and Soph playing critical roles right now. We also lost because our scheme is susceptible to giving up a lot of points in the 4th qter (just watch any big 12 games, like TX/OK or Balyor/TCU).

 

[fastlax16]

yeah, but it has to do with the plan on what to do after that loss.

IMHO, we lost because of youth. We have way to many Fr, RS Fr and Soph playing critical roles right now. We also lost because our scheme is susceptible to giving up a lot of points in the 4th qter (just watch any big 12 games, like TX/OK or Balyor/TCU).

We have 14 starters who are seniors or graduate seniors in terms of class rank. Do we need to start a roster full of 6th year guys who got medical redshirts to drop the youth excuse?

 

[danvillenit]

I said starters. Probably some first rounders on roster

 

[dbsteel]

Simple the talent level on this team is much better than the results. I’m not ready to give up on Franklin. However, we should be in the top 10 with the talent level we have. Hell, we have the identical record as MSU. We lost to them head to head. We are still ranked way ahead them! Why? Because our talent level is much better than theirs!!!

BS. Look at the starting lineup. Its littered with underclassmen. Hardly any seniors. The D-Line and LBs are sub par right now which is why they can't put these teams away at the end when they have to. We may have 1-2 guys drafted in the NFL next year. That's it.

 

[fastlax16]

BS. Look at the starting lineup. Its littered with underclassmen. Hardly any seniors. The D-Line and LBs are sub par right now which is why they can't put these teams away at the end when they have to. We may have 1-2 guys drafted in the NFL next year. That's it.

Starting lineup is 14 players who are 4th or 5th year players, i.e players who are seniors and grad students in terms of class rank. Only 3 starters have been in the program for 2 years or fewer.

The only underclassmen starting on o and d are hamler, freiermuth and ygm.

 

[danvillenit]

They may have experience but they are not that good. I think that’s the point

 

[Eurotrash1]

BS. Look at the starting lineup. Its littered with underclassmen. Hardly any seniors. The D-Line and LBs are sub par right now which is why they can't put these teams away at the end when they have to. We may have 1-2 guys drafted in the NFL next year. That's it.

I believe I stated underclassman. If you think things are going peachy. Keep drinking the Kool ade. Any good coach would re-evaluate how he is doing things when you continue to lose games in the same manner.

 

[Obliviax]

We have 14 starters who are seniors or graduate seniors in terms of class rank.

ILL Depth chart

• JJ jr
• Freiermuth FR
• Bates Jr
• Gonzo Jr
• Menet So
• McGovern Jr.
• Fries So
• Polk/Thompkins Jr/Sr
• Hamler Fr
• McS Sr
• Sanders Jr

• Miller Jr
• Givens Jr
• Windsor Jr
• YGM So
• Farmer Sr
• Brown Jr.
• Johnson Jr.
• Oruwariey Sr
• Taylor, Jr
• Scott, Sr
• Reid Jr.

• Pinegar, Fr
• Gillikin, Jr.
• Checa Fr

 

[fastlax16]

ILL Depth chart

• JJ jr redshirt junior
• Freiermuth FR
• Bates Jr redshirt junior
• Gonzo Jr redshirt junior
• Menet So redshirt sophomore
• McGovern Jr. true junior
• Fries So redshirt sophomore
• Polk/Thompkins Jr/Sr redshirt junior/ redshirt senior
• Hamler Fr redshirt freshman
• McS Sr redshirt senior
• Sanders Jr true junior

• Miller Jr redshirt junior
• Givens Jr redshirt junior
• Windsor Jr redshirt junior
• YGM So true sophomore
• Farmer Sr redshirt senior
• Brown Jr. true junior
• Johnson Jr. redshirt junior
• Oruwariey Sr redshirt senior
• Taylor, Jr redshirt junior
• Scott, Sr true senior
• Reid Jr. redshirt junior

• Pinegar, Fr
• Gillikin, Jr.
• Checa Fr

Thank you for proving my point, I said class rank not eligibility. 14 starters in their 4th or 5th years at the program. 5 players in their 3rd year and 2 players with 2 years and one true freshman.

 

[AWS1022]

It’s kind of funny...I read so many posts at the beginning of he season how it’s going to hurt losing Barkley, Gesicki, Hamilton, and all the guys of defense. Then when it does, posters get angry because of how we lost. If we would have gotten beat from start to finish by MSU, posters would be up in arms about how a team with less talent should l not be able to control the whole game against us. I have yet to see a loss in the last 10 years where posters didn’t blame the coach or the coordinators. At some point the players have to make plays.

 

[jrd23psu]

Because this was a game that we SHOULD expect to win. It's at home. MSU has looked bad this year. They have mountains of OL problems. We came off a game two weeks ago where we looked better than OSU until the 4th quarter collapse (again).

So yes, the expectation was that we beat MSU. The idea that people were wrong for expecting this win is nuts, dude. Franklin should get every bit of criticism he's getting for for both of these collapses. He's earned all of it.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

You had enough talent to have a 12 point lead with 8 minutes left and a lead with two minutes left (and the ball), and managed to lose both games. Anyone would expect a win out of those two games.

This isn’t a comparison to teams from other decades, this is frustration in the fact that the last four losses were there to be won and this team and staff came up short and found ways to lose each one.

If you get your doors blown off, you can say you were not there better team, but the last two years, they led in the fourth quarter of the games and could not close the deal.

All of these posts that say expectations were too high are misguided or do not understand the situation. I don’t think anyone posting their anger would not agree that Franklin has righted the ship and is doing a great job of bringing in bettter talent. But this isn’t fantasy sports, you still have to get it done on the field. This team has put itself in position to be “elite”, and has managed to s the bed four times.

Let's not forget the Rose Bowl. 5 times.

 

[Nitwit97]

Let's not forget the Rose Bowl. 5 times.

I give a pass in that game. They should have won, would be nice to win, but not a “meaningful” game in that the result impact the season. But to your point, yes. Five losses by 12 points

It tells me we are in the neighborhood, and even the right street, we just don’t live in the big corner house at this time.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

It’s kind of funny...I read so many posts at the beginning of he season how it’s going to hurt losing Barkley, Gesicki, Hamilton, and all the guys of defense. Then when it does, posters get angry because of how we lost. If we would have gotten beat from start to finish by MSU, posters would be up in arms about how a team with less talent should l not be able to control the whole game against us. I have yet to see a loss in the last 10 years where posters didn’t blame the coach or the coordinators. At some point the players have to make plays.

I don't blame the coaches for the MSU loss. The players wet the bed this time.

 

[anon_1eeb2b426hv3y]

not a “meaningful” game in that the result impact the season.

Wait. Huh? I get your point about impacting the season and agree with everything else, but ..... were you just referring to the Rose Bowl?!?!?! With a "not" before the words "meaningful game?" Call me old school, but winning (or playing in) the Rose Bowl tells the tale of an excellent season.
If CJF gets PSU to the Rose Bowl (or better) 3 times and has us in the running 3 other times in each decade he coaches, he'll make the Hall of Fame regardless of the number of times the team wets the bed during the season.

 

[Nitwit97]

Wait. Huh? I get your point about impacting the season and agree with everything else, but ..... were you just referring to the Rose Bowl?!?!?! With a "not" before the words "meaningful game?" Call me old school, but winning (or playing in) the Rose Bowl tells the tale of an excellent season.
If CJF gets PSU to the Rose Bowl (or better) 3 times and has us in the running 3 other times in each decade he coaches, he'll make the Hall of Fame regardless of the number of times the team wets the bed during the season.

I am there with you. They played in the Rose Bowl, that part of it is meaningful. The result? It’s nice if you win, but not mandatory.